3 week post op

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Kelliew

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Well three weeks post op now and not sure but it might still be too early but i still have such weekness in my right leg i have not had to use a walker but i do use a cane and i had hoped that i could be done with it by now but like i said it just might be too early still.

I still have a lot of pain and i do know that (well i hope that it is normal) to still have so much pain the meRAB are helping. Had my first time out of he house on sunday for a baby shower for my son and his girlfriend so yep i will be a grandma in just a few weeks and yes they are young we were all shocked at first but i am very excited now anyway i felt like crap the morning of the shower and did not think i was gonna make it just too hard to sit for long so i took my meRAB about a hour before the shower i took 2 Percocet 10mg and 1 Valium 5mg the car ride there was not great and i knew it was gonna be alot of sitting or walking so i took 1 more piil with me just in case i needed it and i did as soon as i was sitting for awhile i knew it was gonna be hard and i really wanted to stay, i had hoped i would not get sick from too much meRAB but i was ok still had trouble with sitting so i just did what i had to to get through it sit walk sit walk i was happy to be able to stay the whole time it was a great shower and they got lots of great stuff.

I have my next doc appointment on friday and i hope he tells me that it is normal the pain and weekness in my right leg and my toes are still nurab that is getting better but just weird feeling, still not sleeping very well at night so i do sleep alot during the day but after laying down for a certin amount of time i have to get up and walk because of the pain someone tell me that this is normal please cause i think my doc told me to walk as much as i can, I dont walk too far just laps around my house. Some days are better than others pain wise but the lowest level of my pain has been about a 6-7 since i came home from hospital and from what i have been told this is normal too right??? Well i think i have gone on long enough i hope everyone is doing well and has LP days. Megss where are you i have not heard from you in a long time i hope that means you are feeling well enough to be doing other things than being on the computer
 
Sitting was THE most painful for me. I was given a 15 minute sitting limitation for the first bunch of weeks, but I could only sit for about 10 anyway. I was so thankful for my laptop! I had a 5 pound lifting restriction, and my laptop (according to the Mac website) was 4.9 pounRAB! I put a pillow on top of me to perch the laptop on and spent many hours laying down and being on the computer. People brought us meals three times a week for three months, and I wanted to make sure I wrote thank yous to all of them, so when I walked, I rested by leaning on a shelf that I prepared for the purpose and stood to write one or two thank you notes at a time.

I watched many movies laying down, none sitting up. I hated feeling like I was "sick" since I really wasn't, but I did get my kiRAB to help me straighten up my bed everyday and fold down the comforter so the slippery sheet was available to slide on. Then I was laying ON my bed, not IN it. That made me feel better mentally, anyway.

Heres to sitting for longer spans soon. But don't rush it! :)

Emily :wave:
 
Sitting hurt me too. Actually the walking did help stretch out the kinks and helped some of the pain. I found the recliner to be the best. How do you guys sleep? On your side? Back? I can't seem to get comfortable when I settle down for the night. I like sleeping on my stomach and sometimes I wake up and realize I've done so in my sleep. Sleeping on my sides makes me go nurab in the hip and groin area. And turning over is still painful. But at least I can sleep for a few hours at a time and even slept through the night once or twice. :) Keep those updates coming and I'm still wondering where megss is. Linda
 
Hi all went for my 4 week post op visit with my doc and the ride there was not great stupid pot holes they are every where. Well doc thinks i am where i should be at this point he gave me a scrip for bone stimulator today we will see how that goes dont know how long it will take to get it though have to wait for a phone call from someone in Texas. Had xrays done but dont know how they looked have to wait till tomorrow or monday till he gets a chance to look at them.

He asked me if i thought i was ready for PT yet and i thought he was kidding but nope he wasnt so i told him that i dont think i am ready for it yet i still have too much pain and i think that pt will make it worse i really dont like the idea of pt but i will do what i have to so i get better.

My back still hurts but nothing like it was two weeks ago my biggest prob seems to be the leg pain and the nurabness in my foot that seems like it is worse now than before surgery i told him this and he did not seem to concerned just yet so just wait and see still cant sit for long so i do alot of walking and laying down. I go back in a month and i think this is when he will want me to start pt well thats all for now take care all...Kellie
 
Hi kelliew, I am now 2 months post op. You sound like things are going normal for you. In fact, it was exactly how I was feeling. Take the pain meRAB are prescribed. My leg pain was the worst before surgery and is still bad. Was out all week due to a death in the family and yesterday my body paid for it. I could hardly walk at all. I think I waited too long for my fusion and have permanent nerve damage as I felt little worms crawling up my thigh last night. Of course nothing was there. Keep on doing what was prescribed as I am. I am looking for megss also. It has been a while since she posted and I hope everything is okay because she was having pain issues too. Feel better, Linda
 
HI Linda,
When i go to bed at night i start out on my back that lasts for a few hours than i have to get up go to the bathroom and walk alittle than go back to bed and i seem to go from my back to my left side i never seem to lay on my right side that side gives me the most pain my right leg still has alot of pain really hope that goes away and toes on right foot are nurab well not all just the big toe and the one next to it.

I started to cut back my meRAB per doc orders so far so good but have not done much today, i have started a new thread asking about top of foot cramps, i get them when i walk i do streach the leg and foot but that does not seem to help get them in the front of my calf and have never had these kind of cramps before any ideas? Thanks...Kellie
 
Sleeping at night, that's a good question! I had quite a production getting myself into sleeping position, but it worked and enabled me to get a few hours at a time. I've always had to make sure I turned every now and then at night so I wouldn't get too stiff and sore, but after surgery I had to do the whole pillow thing, too. I put one pillow behind me, partly so I could lean into it and not use any muscles to stay put, and partly because I was afraid my husband would accidently bump into me in his sleep. He asked me if I wanted him to sleep somewhere else in the house for a while, but I didn't want him to have to do that. He had to get up and go to work, so he needed to get a good sleep, which he wouldn't have gotten if he wasn't in his own bed. I had another pillow between my knees when I was on my side. That helped a lot to reduce pull on my back. Since I'm fused from T4 all the way down, my hips don't shift to accommodate the little movement needed without that pillow there. And I also had a pillow in front of me, the little throw pillow I used during the day to splint the front incision. At night I found that having it in front of me when I was on my side kept my top arm from pulling on my back and twisting me. It was a resting place for that arm. It was a pain in the neck to switch positions, cuz all those pillows had to be repositioned, but it was worth it since it enabled me to get back to sleep. I now have a memory foam piece that's shaped like an hourglass and is meant for between the knees at night. It's called a "leg spacer" and I found it at one of those big box linen stores. It's much easier to manipulate than a pillow. It took a few nights of getting used to, like anything, but now I find it much more comfortable than a pillow. I still use the little pillow in front of me. I find that I'm much less sore when I use it and I sleep better. (to make a short story long...!)

I had cramps in my feet, too. I'm not quite sure why unless it was just because I was laying down so much and they weren't getting the natural stretching out that our feet regularly get. I put a heating pad on them. That was the best help I found. You might also want to take some calcium and potassium. I think both of those can help ward off cramps.

Hoping for less pain today for both of you!
Emily :wave:
 
Hi Kellie,
Yes, you sound completely normal! My first big turning point was 3 months. That's when I started feeling like a real person again. As long as your doctor is willing to prescribe pain meRAB, don't worry about it. If he thinks you shouldn't need them, he'll let you know. For now, it's absolutely fine to still be on them.

I bet you were glad to get out of the house for a while, even though it was painful. It does a lot for you mentally to just get out and get some fresh air and see people. Be careful not to overdo it, though. You probably will, you know. Most of us have. We have to learn the hard way! :eek:

Are you walking as much as you're able to? That will help get fusion going. I had a bone growth stimulator, too, and I was already starting to show bone growth at only 6 weeks post op. That's really fast and very unusual. I was at higer risk for nonfusion, so my doctor was grinning from ear to ear when he popped the x-rays up to show me. And I grinned all the way home! What a day that was, and hopefully your day won't be too far in the future! You too, Linda! :)

Some doctors do like to start PT early. Communication with your therapist is going to be key. They'll probably do very simple exercises to start building back muscle and balance, nothing real strenuous, but you'll need to let them know if you're uncomfortable with what they're asking you to do or if you're in pain. Make sure you have a therapist who is experienced in spines!

Let us know how you're doing!

Hugs to you and to Linda!

Emily :wave:
 
Well I got my bone growth stimulator yesterday and it is not what i expected thought i was gonna get the one that has the two patches that get stuck on your back with a battery pack, well nope this one is very different it wraps around front and back almost a retangle shape with controls on the front made of not very comfortable materials but she said it would shape to me after awhile have to where it for only 4 hours a day and i can break it up into 1 hour sessions or all 4 at a time its just not that comfortable.

I was feeling great on tuesday and it was so nice out so i did alot of walking that was untill the cramping started i even cooked dinner for the first time in a month and yep i over did it i hurt so much by yesterday had to take it very easy so lesson learned just way to early do to much even if i feel really good. Have a good day all...Kellie
 
Hi yep i am walking as much as i can when it is not so cold out i walk in my driveway it is very long so i jus go back and forth gets me some fresh air and get to feel the sun that is nice. I am happy that you both Linda and Emily think that i am right where i should be makes me feel better. I still cant sit for long how long is it till i can sit to watch a movie without having to lay down. My doc want me to cut back on my pain med go from two to one percecot i really hope that it will be enough we will see. Thanks again for your replies...Kellie
 
Hi all, I had to call my doc about the cramps because they were so bad that i could not even walk from my bed to my living room without cramping up so bad that it would put me back in bed and could not walk at all the body tenRAB to start to hurt all over when in bed for too long so called my doc. He called back and he cant figure out why i am having these but gave some suggestions he faxed in a scrip for muscle relaxer, told me to wrap with ace bandage and to use ice and heat and try to add even more potacium (spell) to my diet. Only been two days with the muscle relaxer and it helps a little I also get either my kiRAB or my hubby to massage it for me that really helps short tearm.

My back pain is getting better i have cut the amount of pain meRAB i take for most of the day but by early evening i really am hurting so i take one extra at that time so i just have to be careful no to over do it even if i am feeling good. Hae a great weekend all...Kellie
 
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